Utilities across the Western Interconnection are facing unprecedented demand from large customers—ranging from 50 MW to more than 1,000 MW. Effective regulatory oversight is essential to protect consumers, ensure prudent utility investment, and maintain reliability as these loads connect to the grid.
With input from Western state commissions, WIRAB and Elevate Energy Consulting developed this Technical Resource to help regulators evaluate large load proposals in resource plans, interconnection reviews, rate cases, tariff proceedings, and other regulatory dockets.
Inside the Technical Resource:
- An overview of state, FERC, and NERC responsibilities and remaining gaps as federal requirements for large loads evolve.
- Eleven recommendations addressing cost allocation, financial assurances, forecasting, interconnection requirements, and regional coordination.
- Guiding questions across ten priority issues, including load forecast uncertainty, stranded-asset risk, co-location, bring-your-own-generation, and load flexibility.
Although designed primarily for state public utility commissions, the guidance may also benefit state energy offices, consumer-owned, municipal, and cooperative utilities.
Webinar Recording:
WIEB hosted a webinar on September 3, 2026 to introduce the technical resource. Download the slides here.
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Baran at ebaran@westernenergyboard.org.